Joseph Gillott worked as a cutler in Sheffield before he went
to Birmingham in 1821. There he worked in the steel toy business.
In 1827 he founded his company Joseph Gillott's that sold high
quality steel pens that were produced by machines. Gillott married
a Miss Mitchell who was the sister of John and William Mitchell,
steel pen makers. His company still exists in Birmingham and
is now part of William Mitchell Ltd.

He was also a
patron of the arts and among the first art collector to value
the work of Turner and bought his work before it became popular.
For many years he lived at The Grove in Edbaston. He had purchased
it in 1853. His houses in both Birmingham and London were crowded
with paintings and after he died in 1873 his collection of paintings
was sold for 173,310 pounds. He also left a collection of violins
that was sold for 4,000 pounds.